Unforgettable Christmas - Gifts of Love (The Unforgettables Book 3)

by Mimi Barbour

  He burst out laughing and followed her with his backpack in hand.

  Rino’s barking greeted them. As soon as she opened the backyard door he jumped and licked her hands and face. To her surprise, he bestowed the same jovial treatment on Josh.

  “Good boy.” Josh wrapped his arms around the bulky dog’s head in a cheerful hug. These two were becoming best buddies.

  “You can use the bathroom here to change while I’ll go upstairs to my room.” She scaled the steps two at a time to the second floor. Behind closed doors, she stripped off her fancy work clothes and meticulously hanged them in her closet. They’d cost her a two-week pay check but she had to level up with the many fashionistas of Josh’s firm.

  From her closet Emma chose a pair of pink shorts and a white and pink striped shirt to wear for the afternoon at the beach. After checking herself in the mirror, she pulled her hair back in a ponytail, refreshed her makeup, and slipped on a pair of flat sandals.

  Grabbing a white cotton jacket, she went downstairs and stopped short at the sight of Josh playing with her dog.

  He was stunning in his khaki shorts and beige t-shirt revealing strong legs. The brown flip-flops added to his relaxed appearance. At work he always favored the dressy pants, classical long- sleeved button down, and a tie that commanded respect. But now... Oh boy, now... She made a valiant effort not to stare and ogle.

  Rino barked and waggled his tail, alerting Josh to her presence. He spun toward her. His eyes narrowed and warmed her all over her with their fire.

  “Ready?” he asked, coming toward her.

  “Ah, yes.” She blinked, her gaze skating over his wide chest. “Uh-oh, yes. Yes, I’m ready.” Darn, she was ready to stay home and fall in his arms. They’d better get out of here as soon as possible. Maybe they could relax on the sand and... “I’ll bring two beach towels. Instead of sitting at a restaurant, how about picnicking on hamburgers and French fries near the water?”

  “Excellent idea.” But he remained rooted in place, slanting a look of longing at her mouth.

  She fumbled with her jacket and threw it on the back of a chair. They badly needed to go to the beach, or anywhere with fresh air to cool their blood.

  Rino nuzzled her naked thigh and prompted her to control her ragged breathing.

  “Lucky fellow,” Josh grumbled.

  Electric sparks crackled around them. If they lingered another minute she was sure they might end up on the sofa. “Mom may come soon.” As expected, her words doused her excitement, and his too, probably.

  “We’d better go,” he muttered with a heavy sigh.

  “I’ll fetch the towels. Can you get more water and food for Rino from the pantry and lock him in the backyard?” she managed to say.

  “Sure. Come, buddy.” Josh whistled and the dog followed him.

  A moment later they were back in her car. Silence hovered over them as Josh drove to the highway and accelerated.

  “Aren’t you worried the paparazzi might take your picture? With me? At the beach while we’re supposed to be at work?”

  “Wouldn’t that be horrible?” A smile stretched his mouth. “Don’t worry. We won’t find many people at the beach on a Wednesday afternoon, in early June. And if we do...” His fingers flicked the air. “Tough. Although I may have to apologize again to soothe my father.”

  Remembering Senator Howard’s purple face, she sobered. “We don’t want to give him a heart attack.”

  Josh arched his eyebrows and snorted. “He won’t mind you being in the picture, but he’ll insist I buy a ring.”

  His comment jabbed her right in the stomach. To buy a ring meant commitment. Wouldn’t that be the cruelest punishment for a hardened bachelor like Josh?

  His hand enclosed her fingers. He must have noticed her silence. “Emma, listen to me. I refused my parents’ proposition of getting engaged for a few months in order to avoid gossips and paparazzi, and help my father’s campaign. It’s only when they told me that your mother had agreed and you were coming with her that I decided to meet you. I honestly thought you’d accepted the deal. But when we started chatting, I realized you didn’t know anything and you were completely different from the scheming person I’d expected to see.”

  She gasped. “Scheming?”

  “Sorry, but that’s what I thought of a young woman who’d agree to take money to play the role of my fiancée in public. Again, that was before I met you.”

  “I see. And after you met me?” She spun her head toward him to study his expression. He seemed sincere.

  He squeezed her hand. “As soon as I saw you I was attracted to you and couldn’t let my father use our relationship to his ends.”

  “Ah.” Coming from a confirmed bachelor, his admission that they were sharing a relationship warmed her heart. “Thank you, Josh.”

  A big truck passed them. Josh released her fingers to concentrate on his driving and she delved into her feelings. Far from resenting him for his parents and her mother’s mistakes, she tried to look at the situation from the opposite side.

  Her mother wanted to see her happily married and had probably hoped that the little charade would have a happy ending. Senator Dutton was trying to neutralize the damage caused by the tabloids and Josh’s past philandering. Maybe Nancy had shared Maria’s crazy dreams and wanted to see her son settled with a young woman she could trust. They all had a good motivation or an honorable goal.

  What about her?

  A niggling doubt ran through her mind. The Duttons had done so much for her and her mom, but Emma hadn’t lifted a finger to show her gratitude. Of course, she’d often thanked them, but hadn’t offered anything worthwhile in exchange for all their generosity.

  Now that she was convinced of Josh’s honest intentions, she wouldn’t mind helping his father by playing the fiancée’s role in public. Considering how much she enjoyed Josh’s kisses, it wouldn’t be difficult. Her lips curved into a reluctant smile.

  “You’re too quiet,” Josh said when the car sidled to the right and slowed down at the exit.

  “I was thinking.”

  “About?”

  “Senator Howard.”

  Josh threw her a quick glance and a half-smile slid on his lips. “I was hoping you’d say you were thinking about me.”

  “Seriously, Josh, how’s your father doing?”

  Josh shook his head, dismay shadowing his handsome features. “I don’t know. He’s not talking to me.”

  “That’s bad. What about your mom?”

  “I’ve been too busy to call them in the last few days.”

  “I hate to see them upset at you because of me. No wait,” she said when his head snapped toward her. “They’ve been wonderful. I want to help them. How about we play the role—”

  “No. I won’t do it. Now that you work at our firm, your insurance covers your stepmother’s medical expenses. You can even repay my mother back for her check covering the first phase of therapy. Although I can assure you she’ll be offended if you do that.”

  “Don’t I know? That’s why cooperating with their plan will make them happy and soothe my conscience.”

  “It would tickle my conscience to no end. Forget it once and for all.”

  She exhaled, hating his stubbornness. Anyway they’d arrived at the beach. Josh stopped the car along the curb and climbed out. By the time Emma unbuckled and gathered her beach bag, he’d opened the door for her and she slid out.

  With a deep frown twitching his forehead, he held her shoulders and captured her gaze. “I know you want to show your gratitude. But not this way. We work in the same office all day. We can’t lie to our colleagues.”

  Darn, how could she have overlooked that major detail? He held a special place in her heart—too special for comfort. Better play it safe and hide her attraction since he was her boss at the office. Acting the loving fiancée in public was way too risky. She might be burned at her own game in no time.

  “I see your point,” she said after a moment
of concentration.

  “Don’t worry about my father’s campaign. He always manages to win because he’s a good senator and he cares about his constituents. And I’ll keep my promise to stop fooling around.” His last sentence and the tender gaze accompanying it warmed her heart.

  “Thank you for reassuring me.” She gave him a sweet smile.

  His eyes shone with intense sparkles. Passion or simple desire?

  His head lowered and her heart leapt in her throat, but he immediately straightened. They shouldn’t forget they were standing on the sidewalk of a public beach.

  Emma surveyed the area. A mother supervised her small kids playing in the sand near the water; two young beauties in shorts jogged along the boardwalk; a teenager sped by on his skateboard. And no nasty hounding paparazzi lurked in the area to threaten their peaceful outing. It seemed like a family-oriented beach setting, with plenty of room to space out from other beach-goers and relax.

  “Let’s go buy our late lunch.” He checked his wristwatch. “Or rather early dinner. It’s already three p.m.”

  Hand in hand, they strolled along a side street. She remained quiet, silently enjoying the moment and his nearness. Josh seemed to like her but she couldn’t forget he was a successful lawyer with a smooth tongue, a senator’s son expert at befriending people. And she was practically drowning under a heap of problems.

  At a pizza parlor they bought a large pizza with pepperoni, vegetable, and extra cheese, and two cans of coke. A hundred feet later, they came across a souvenir store. Emma glanced at the shop windows but Josh urged her in. She browsed through the racks, admiring unusual art pieces.

  “Hey, Emma,” Josh called. He approached her with two caps in hands. A black and a pink with the same I love the Beach embroidered on the front.

  “This is for you.” He handed her the pink one and set the black one on his head.

  “Thanks.” She turned toward a long mirror, adjusted her new cap on her hair, and lifted her ponytail to secure the velcro straps of the cap around it.

  “Lovely,” he blurted.

  “Thank you,” she repeated, his gift filling her heart with warmth. “I guess we’re ready to have fun.” It would be so easy to let go and fall in love with this wonderful man.

  “You bet.” His roguish smile stole her breath.

  Chapter Eight

  Back on the beach, Josh inhaled deeply but the balmy breeze coming from the ocean mingled with the smell of the pizza and did nothing to calm his frustration. He had a gorgeous young woman at his side that he was dying to hold in his arms, yet he had to watch every move he made.

  To think he was an independent successful lawyer and still had to abide by his father’s rules and watch his back to avoid unpleasant pictures from being published. How long would he allow these impudent reporters to control his behavior?

  “Come,” he said in a gruff tone.

  Emma frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” he grumbled, and almost gasped at the sight of the concerned droop of her lips. He forced a smile and added, “I’m hungry. Where do you want to sit?”

  “As close to the water as possible. The sun is not as high as before.”

  He weighed her suggestion and scanned the wide beach with rocky shores and tiny waves. The golden sand, warm, soft, and inviting, extended for at least two hundred feet in width. If they sat near the water facing the ocean, they would share a definite coziness while still enjoying the open air.

  “Great idea.” His good mood restored by the peaceful setting, he grabbed her hand, and they trudged through the sand until they found their ideal spot. A stretch of sand close to the water and protected from view by a soft dune covered with dense overgrown grass and reeds provided ample privacy from the parking lot. And the view of the water was fantastic.

  Emma opened her bag and spread the two beach towels. While Josh set the pizza box on one of them, she threw her sandals aside and padded into the small waves unfurling on the sloping sand.

  “I love it here.” She opened her arms and breathed deeply. “Is there anything nicer than the sound and smell of the ocean? It whispers, ‘relax’.”

  He laughed. “It’s not whispering. It’s shouting. Come and eat before it gets cold.”

  She dropped beside him. He got the paper plates and cans of soda out of the plastic bag, opened the box, and served her a slice of pizza.

  “No beer allowed on this public family beach, but we can always toast with sodas.” He lifted his can. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers.” She clanked hers against his. Her ponytail skimmed her shoulder and her eyes glittered with merriment. “Nothing beats playing hooky with the boss’s blessing.” She chuckled and he burst out laughing.

  She was adorable when she let go of her serious reserve.

  “But I love my job,” she hastened to add.

  “Afraid the boss may deprive you of a raise for confessing you’d rather be at the beach than at the office?”

  Swiftly, she opened her bag, extracted her phone and took a picture of him. “Now I can blackmail you if you dare deprive me of my bonus.” Her arm up, she shook the phone and a bubble of happy laughter escaped her. “I have proof that you were away from the office too.”

  They continued their light banter while finishing their meal and collected their trash in the plastic bag. The sun had disappeared behind the buildings at the west and the shadow of a few clouds darkened the sand.

  Emma lay back on her towel and folded her arms under her head. “A perfect day, except...”

  Stretched next to her on his towel, Josh snapped up. “Except what?” Propping himself on his elbow, he leaned toward her and peered at her lovely face. He’d done everything to please her, help her relax and forget the stressful audit of her shop tomorrow night. Had he missed something?

  “You haven’t... I wish...” Her gaze met his, then lowered to his mouth and moved up to his eyes again, burning with its fire and sending a crystal clear message.

  His head slowly dipped down. “I wish that too.”

  Anticipation gathered in the pit of her stomach and spiraled downward when his lips settled on hers for a soft kiss. He took his time brushing and caressing, trailing feather-like kisses from her lips to her jaw, cheek and temple.

  She freed her arms from under her head and cupped his chin, her soft breath fanning his mouth. Her lips quivered against his, begging and tempting.

  He didn’t need begging and he was already tempted beyond endurance. “My sweet Emma.” He plowed his fingers through her hair and brought her mouth to his. Their lips melded, opened and twitched. His tongue darted inside her mouth and mingled with hers in a happy dance. They took their time, teasing, tasting, savoring.

  Her faint moan pierced through the daze fogging his brain. He released her mouth and buried his face in the nook of her neck, nuzzling the delicate flesh of her throat.

  “Josh, we need to head back,” she whispered.

  He raised his head and noticed the pink aura shrouding the sky. The sun was probably setting inland and the ocean had withdrawn away from them for the afternoon low tide.

  Good thing they were on the beach and not in his room at his parents’ house. He wouldn’t have been able to let her out of his arms.

  “Yes, let’s go. We’re going to hit the rush hour traffic. It will be night by the time we reach home.” He jumped to his feet and gave her a hand to pull her up. Emma picked up the towels and fluttered them to shake out the sand, then folded them in her beach bag. Josh grabbed the trash bag. They headed toward the parking lot and Josh disposed of his plastic bag in a trash can.

  “Before we leave I’d like to buy a bottle of water.”

  “Good idea.” They walked to the pizza shop. He grabbed two bottles and stood in line at the cashier while Emma waited at the door.

  The woman standing behind him was talking on her phone.

  When he paid and turned, he swallowed a curse as he recognized Tammy Burt’s best friend.

>   The woman gasped and melted in a big smile. “Josh Dutton? What a coincidence.”

  Damn it. Lousy coincidence. “Hi, Cassie.”

  “Is Tammy with you?” She craned her neck to look behind him and he did his best to block her view.

  He shrugged. “Why would she be?”

  The woman asked, “Isn’t she your fiancée?”

  “Don’t believe the tabloids. Good to see you, Cassie.” With rapid strides, he exited the store and caught up with Emma who was rushing toward her car.

  “Who was she?”

  “She’s a friend of the paralegal who lied through her teeth and claimed that I’d asked her to marry me. Don’t look back. She had her phone in hand and will probably try to snap a picture.”

  “Let her get a picture of our backs.” A smug smile tugged at Emma’s mouth as she crooned, “Joshua Dutton and his latest girlfriend.”

  Her sarcastic comment amused him to no end. It had a nice ring to it. And as long as the encounter hadn’t bothered Emma, he didn’t give a fig about the tabloids’ pictures or comments. After all, he was with the right girl.

  Satisfaction hummed in his veins. “I wouldn’t care if it wasn’t for my father.” With a push on the remote of her key, he unlocked the car.

  “I know.” Her eyebrows gathered in annoyance and she slid into the passenger seat.

  Eager to get away before his new stalker snapped a photo of the car and plates, Josh took his place at the wheel, started the car and drove away from the resort street. In the rear view mirror, he caught the woman dashing to the parking lot with her phone raised. And then a car blocked his view. Good riddance.

  If this encounter led to a problem, he’d deal with it when the time came.

  Meanwhile the traffic on the highway required his full attention yet he couldn’t miss the fast tapping of Emma’s fingers on her knee.

  “You’re going to bruise your leg.”

  “Huh?”

  “What’s wrong?”

  ~*~

  Emma had noticed the petite brunette with a halo of curls before Josh even talked to her. From her position at the door, Emma had seen the woman stare at Josh, raise her eyebrows, and tilt her head to survey the store, eagerly looking for something or someone. Then the smug smile of a cat about to catch a mouse broke on the woman’s face as she approached Josh, her phone brandished in her hand like a trophy or a weapon. It was no brainer to deduce she planned to use it.